Migration has begun for many bird species, and some of them are running into trouble with human-created danger as they make the journey from their breeding territories to their overwintering habitat. On September 6, we received a female Western Tanager who suffered head trauma and other injuries when she struck a window.

Windows are a year-round danger to birds as they often reflect nearby vegetation and trick birds into believing they have a free flight path to a perch. They fly headfirst into the window pane never even knowing it was there. If you break up the window’s reflective surface by attaching decals, or obscure it from view by hanging wind socks, wind chimes or mylar strips, you will make bird/window collisions far less likely to occur.